Catamenial appliance



March 4, 1s41. N F EU 2,234,046

CATAMENIAL APPLIANCE Filed Jan. 20, 1959 1 won for Patented Mar. 4, 1941UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CATAMENIAL APPLIANCE Ignace Nathan Freud, Johnstown, Pa.

Application January 20, 1939, Serial No. 252,013

2 Claims. (Cl, 128-285) This invention relates to a new, sanitary andeconomical catamenial appliance, It comprises a device made of thin,flexible, waterproof material adapted to'be supported between the legsof the wearer adjacent the vagina, designed to carry and supportdisposable absorbent material in a novel and more eflicient mannerduring the menstrual period.

The invention may be better understood by reference to the annexeddrawing and read in conjunction with the following specification. In thedrawing Figure l is a side elevation of the appliance;

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof, and

Figure 3 is a cross section of the appliance taken along the line 3--3of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

The appliance comprises a pouch or bag of thin, flexible, waterproofmaterial such as rubber, with sides I and 2 having inwardly extendingrims ,or

flanges 3 and 4, respectively, along the upper open end of the pouch.The bottom of the pouch is reinforced at 5 for a substantial portion ofits length. This reinforced portion is a substantially soft and flexiblematerial such as rubber and is securely fastened to the bottom by cementor other suitable means, or it may be made intergral therewith, as theexigencies of practical requirements may direct. Projectingsubstantially vertically from said reinforced bottom, substantiallyforward of the longitudinal center thereof, is a stem 6 of solid, butflexible, material such as' rubber. This stem extends from the bottom ofthe appliance, upwardly for a considerable length 5 above the rims 3 and4, the extent of the length of the stem to be determined by individualrequirements. cross section, although this may be changed withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention. The stem is surmounted by anenlarged cap member 8, shown as a ball, designed for a purpose whichwill hereinafter be described. The cap member is preferably madeintegral with the stem 6. The pouch is provided with a loop or.earmember 1 at each end, by means of which the unit is supported upon abelt worn on the body of the wearer.

The pouch is lined on its outer surfaces with a suitable soft materialsuch as velvet or suede to prevent undue friction or annoyance where itcontacts the body of the wearer. pouch is filled with suitable;disposable absorbent material, which fills the interior 9 thereof, ex-

tending aroimd and closely contacting the stem 6, as best shown inFigure 3. Additional disposable material is wrapped or otherwisedisposed around the stem 6 and. restson the absorbent material in thepouch. The vertical stem 8, with its layer of disposable material isinserted into the vagina and the rims 3 and 4 are arranged The stem 6 ispreferably round in i In use, the

to lie against the lips of the vulvas The marginal rims 3 and 4 tend tokeep the disposable material confined within the pouch, and also preventpossible leakage or overflow-seepage of the menstrual discharge.

During menstruation, the menstrual flow is quickly absorbed by thevertical layer of material around the stem, and when this layer becomessaturated, the flow passes down its length to the material in the pouchwith which it is in close contact, and where the flow is furtherabsorbed.

vWhen it is desired to replace the absorbent material, the unit isdetached from the body and the stem 6, with its layer of absorbentmaterial, is removed from the vagina. The presence of the cap member 8on the stem 6 ensures the removal of the material disposed around thestem and prevents it from slipping. off during removal from the-femaleorgan.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention,it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction maybe made without departing from thespirit of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A catamenial appliance comprising a pouch for supporting a mass ofabsorbent material externally adjacent the vulva of the vagina, a solid,slender, flexible stem member extending vertically upward from saidpouch for removably supporting a pad of absorbent material on itsexternal surface and adapted to extend into the vagina, and means onsaid stem to retain'absorbent material thereon against displacement whenthe stem is removed from the vagina.

2. A eatamenial appliance comprising a thin, flexible, elongatedwaterproof pouch for supporting amass of absorbent material externallyadjacent the vulva of the vagina, said pouch having a portion of itsbottom reinforced to a thickness substantially greater than theremaining portions thereof, a solid but flexible stem secured to saidreinforced portion and projecting substantially vertically therefrom forremovably supporting a pad of absorbent material, and adapted to extendinto the vagina, said stem being tapered from its lower to its upperfree end to removably support a pad of absorbent material and having anenlarged portion at its free end of a diameter greater than'the adjacentend of the stem, said enlarged portion retaining absorbent material onthe stem against accidental displacement with respect thereto in thevagina when the stem is removed from. the vagina, whereby the menstrualflow from the vagina is conducted along said stem by said absorbentmaterial to the mass of such material supported by said pouch.

